The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) will have its eyes fixed on Jeddah this week as Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team take on the world at the 2024 Women’s Match Racing World Championship. The prestigious event, hosted by the Saudi Sailing Federation, will be held from 5–8 December at the stunning Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina on the Red Sea coast.
This year’s championship brings together six elite teams, all racing in FarEast 28 keelboats with crews of up to five sailors. Representing New Zealand, Thomson’s team features a stellar line-up: Josi Andres, Anna Merchant, Charlotte Porter, and Tiana Wittey. The trio of Thomson, Merchant, and Porter are distinguished graduates of RNZYS’ renowned Mastercard Youth Training Programme (YTP), which has a history of fostering world-class talent.
A Fierce Field of Competition
Currently ranked fifth in the world, Megan Thomson is eagerly anticipating the challenge of competing against top-ranked sailors Pauline Courtois (#1) and Anna Oestling (#2). Speaking about the line-up, Thomson remarked, “Having so many of the top female sailors here for the event is great. Our team is looking forward to getting out there and competing with such a high-calibre line-up for the world title.”
Thomson also shared her thoughts on acclimatising to the local conditions. “Our crew has been out in the FarEast 28s twice now to train, and we are getting used to the conditions. The Saudi Sailing Federation and Jeddah Yacht Club have been great hosts.”
Kiwi Talent Supporting International Teams
The RNZYS connection runs deep in Jeddah this year. Representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, sailors Sumaya Bamakhrama and Shahad Nour will sail alongside RNZYS YTP members Ella Arnold, Madison Rist, and Alissa Marshall. Arnold, who has been in Jeddah since 24 November, expressed her enthusiasm: “I’ve spent the last week watching the youth racing, so now I’m very keen to put into practice what I observed over that time.”
Building on Recent Experience
RNZYS Performance Sailing Coach Zak Merton also highlighted the significance of recent experience at the venue. “It’s been great to have got the youth event away last week, and our youth crews have had lots of learnings from sailing the boats to pass on.”
Jeddah Yacht Club: A World-Class Venue
Set against the backdrop of the Red Sea, Jeddah Yacht Club is rapidly establishing itself as a premier venue for international sailing events. Recently, it hosted an America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta as part of the 37th America’s Cup cycle, solidifying its reputation on the global sailing stage.
As the countdown begins for the Women’s Match Racing World Championship, all eyes are on Megan Thomson and her team as they aim to make waves for New Zealand on the world stage.
